4 counties get federal disaster assistance

October 15, 2008 2:37:54 PM PDT

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. --

Four Illinois counties have gotten approval for federal assistance to help local governments deal with the severe flooding that hit the state in September. The state of Illinois says it received approval Wednesday for Cook, DuPage, Grundy and LaSalle counties.

The counties can use the cash to pay for debris removal from public roads, repairing infrastructure and other costs logged while responding to the flooding. Governmental units in those counties can ask to be reimbursed for 75 percent of such expenses.

Illinois' request for federal assistance for residents and businesses in the four counties and three others was approved earlier this month.